


Dancing in the Moonlight

by joyster



Series: The Beauty in Imperfection [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Family, Fluff, Party, Post-War, Romance, Secret Relationship, Zutara Month, drunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 09:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10806768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joyster/pseuds/joyster
Summary: It's Sokka and Suki's engagement party and Katara has never been so happy to be proven wrong.





	Dancing in the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Zutara Month 2015 Day 3: Drunk
> 
> Ignoring Korra and the comics, Occurs in a universe where Katara becomes Water Tribe Ambassador to the Fire Nation.

Of all the people in the world, Katara had never taken Zuko for a lively drunk. She had always imagined him to be even more sombre than his usual self, becoming philosophical and excluding himself from festivities.

Oh how wrong she was. 

She owed Toph a bag of gold pieces. 

The young Fire Lord takes more after his Uncle than anticipated. 

\- - -

Sokka and Suki had finally gotten engaged and all of Kyoshi Island was celebrating. Most of the original Southern Water tribe (its half –former- Northerners now) made the journey to join the festivities, bringing with them the unfreezing spirits that were becoming a trade hit and burnt off your nose hairs if you sniff it from too close (Sokka learnt that the hard way). 

Katara, Zuko and Ty Lee all travelled together from the Fire Nation to join the festivities. After six months of being a Kyoshi warrior Ty Lee had grown weary of once more being a part of a matching set. When she was mistaken for fellow warrior, Akina, 4 times by 4 different people in one day she finally announced to Suki her resignation. When she returned to her homeland Zuko suggested she teach in the Fire Nation Academy for girls and gave her a position in a committee dedicated to methods to encourage girls to be educated. 

Zuko had been solidly booked in meetings for the week ahead of their trip (which he’d have to use as an opportunity to have political talks with the Kyoshi Elders). He had a few days on the Island; the day after the party he had a meeting with the chief. They wouldn’t be returning to the Fire Nation together, Katara had ambassadorial duties in the Earth Kingdom and would be travelling with Toph and Iroh to the capital (earning a bit of pocket money no doubt working casually at The Jasmine Dragon). All of this meant that the three or four days they had on the Island were the only opportunities the secret couple had to spend together. 

As a Southern Water Tribe member, Katara prided herself on her high alcohol tolerance (a trait that had oddly skipped her brother). Her Gran Gran made sure that she was enjoying herself, stocking her plate with rich foods and passing her a new drink every time she finished hers. 

“We know how to have a good time. You aren’t eating enough, you’re too skinny.” Kanna stated simply. 

Katara didn’t feel like telling her Grandmother that she’d actually gained 5 kilos since she moved to the Fire Nation 8 months before. She merely smiled and sipped at the fruity Earth Kingdom white wine she had and glanced around, drinking in the atmosphere. 

The entire village had taken part in organising and setting it up. Tables were placed around the skirt of the central square. The multicultural food was set across a table in front of town hall. All the buildings and even the past Avatar’s statue were strung with lanterns and streamers. A band played on a raised podium, a nice view of the bay and the elephant koi dancing behind them, with the large space in the centre of the village left clear for dancing. 

She missed her boyfriend. She just couldn’t tell anyone. 

Anyone but Toph - who, quite literally, dragged her aside and demanded to know if they’d >i<“Stopped being thick, stubborn, overgrown babies and finally hooked up”>/ i< when they stepped off the boat after the 8 day journey. Saving herself the effort of denying it to a human lie detector she answered in the affirmative but informed Toph it was strictly secret.  
Katara would later find out, while travelling to Ba Sing Se, that Toph had already known. Zuko had very excitedly sent his Uncle a letter telling him when they first admit their feelings two months prior. Then Uncle told Toph. 

Complaining to Toph, however, was more frustrating than keeping her feelings to herself. Katara could only take so much of someone declaring their ears bleeding from all the sweetness and requests for an end to her cruel torment. 

And Toph said she was the one being childish… what a drama queen.

They were chatting on the side lines of the dancefloor. Sokka was doing some weird wiggling that she supposed could be considered dancing and Suki was swaying gracefully (despite being a bit wobbly on her feet) holding his hand. Aang was completely sober doing some kind of body percussion moves with a few of the Kyoshi Warriors. Ty Lee and Haru were spinning and dipping. Uncle, as he insisted on being referred, and her Grandmother are dancing together with Pakku watching on looking slightly more cranky than usual; his arms crossed as he slumped in his chair. One guy was foaming at the mouth, and alternating between writhing on the floor and making spasm like movements (she checked on him two songs ago and he was perfectly ok and Suki explained, blushing, that he was her ex-boyfriend and he always danced… and generally behaved… like that). She couldn’t see Zuko anywhere. 

“Look just quit your whining, go find him and talk to him. Everyone knows you’re friends, it wouldn’t even be weird.” 

“I guess you’re righ- ” She’s cut off by an arm swinging itself around her shoulders and a loud “HELLLLLOOOOOOO” sung into her ear. She’s acutely aware of Toph taking the glass out of her hand but not stopping what was left of the interloper’s drink spilling down the side of her dress. 

“Zuko? What are you doing?” Her voice was halfway in between admonishing and amused. 

“The lady called,” he half smiles at her, flourish clumsily and regaining his footing, looking a bit more like himself. 

“Did I?”

“I heard you say my name from over there,” he replies, pointing at the bar where her father and Bato were laughing, waving and downing another arctic shot. 

“They were giving me a taste of the Southern Water Tribe official drink.” Katara’s eyes opened wide. 

“Oh my La, Zuko! How many did you have?”

“I can’t remember, I lost count at 6… You know for water it sure does burns.”

They all laugh but Katara makes a mental note to yell at her father tomorrow. She couldn’t believe he’d gotten the Fire Lord drunk; just a glass of red wine with dinner or a fire whiskey after a long day of meetings Zuko. Now completely sloshed…Thanks to her dad. 

The band swells with a tune unfamiliar to her but apparently very known to Zuko.

“Come on Katara, this is a classic Fire Nation Song, come dance with me.” 

She bends the liquid from her dress, “Dance… You want to dance? 

“YES! Come onnn,” 

Thanks to her Dad! 

She’s impressed at how well he walks, still graceful and upright until he stops and starts swaying. He left his empty glass with Toph, admitting that it was just water in that one and he knew it would be a bad idea to keep drinking. Katara glances over at the younger girl reclining against a table and soon striking up a conversation with Teo and his father sitting there.

Zuko takes Katara’s hand and leads her in a neat turn before talking and guiding her through the dance. It’s fast but not overly aggressive or complicated. She bends some water from a nearby table’s pitcher into his mouth and they smile at each other. 

She never realised how fine a dancer he was. Teaching her the moves also gave him a nice excuse to stand a little closer and whisper in her ear; Katara enjoys both of those things. 

As the moon climbs higher in the sky (it’s full, illuminating and beautiful as if Yue was blessing the happy match) the older people and children leave the festivities to go to bed. Slower, more sultry and quiet, music is played and after a while couples begin to disappear off. 

A tipsy Katara not so subtly whisks Zuko away to “see the beach”.

Once they’re alone at the edge of forest and sand he pushes one of her hair loopies (they’d become drastically lopsided) behind her ear and kissed her. In his mind it was probably very suave but in reality he almost poked her in the eye and kissed her like he was taking a bite of a juicy moon peach. In his defence, she always told him the way he ate a moon peach looked like he was eagerly making out with it. Besides, he hadn’t had a drink in the last few hours so he wasn’t as bad as he could’ve been. 

“I missed you while you were working,” she practically stage whispers, (If she was honest with herself the high alcohol tolerance skipped her generation) and he chuckles. It’s a warm sound and makes her feel all fuzzy inside. She tells him and he gives her a peck, wraps warm arms around her and states that she makes him feel all fuzzy inside.  
No one ever said they weren’t grossly sweet and sappy when they are drunk. 

Well no one knows they’re together to be able to tell them…

Except Toph, and she did say that they were vomit and tooth decay inducing, and that she thought Sparky was a man, not the mushy dork that he actually is…. But that’s different, right? 

They sit down; Zuko leaning against a tree trunk and Katara leaning against him. He’s very chatty when he’s drunk, midsentence making a rather embarrassing giggle-snort laugh that - had Katara not also been inebriated and very tired – would’ve warranted at least a decade worth of teasing. He rests an arm curled around her waist. 

She says they’ll sit there for a while then get up and go to bed. 

When she pokes him in the ribs and demands to know what he’s doing (by order of the Warrior Sea Princess) he says he’s just shutting his eyes for a moment.

She thinks that’s a good idea…just for a moment

\- - -

When they wake up it’s to Toph kicking sand in their faces, smirking at them. 

“wake-y, wake-y lovejays,” she coos, digging dirty toes into Zuko’s ribcage, “everyone is looking for you two.”

Katara bolts upright before immediately regretting it, the world goes black and she wobbles as she regains clarity. “Zuko, get up we fell asleep!” 

“Five more minutes” he insists, curling into a ball and putting his robe over his face. “Shut the curtains, why is it so bright?” 

Rock pushes his head from the ground. Toph squats in front of him, her face inches from his, 

“When the Melon Lord says get up, you get up or I’ll bend your stupid crown up some place the sun don’t shine and Sweetness here will have to find someone new to accidentally fall asleep on the beach with, someone that can sit down without crying.”

With that he’s getting up, groaning. He clutches his head and looks a mess but at least he’s awake. 

“If I were the two of you I’d go to bed… actually, maybe wash the sand out of your hair first. Uncle and I covered for you this time but don’t expect me to every time you guys want to drunkenly dance and then do the tango for two outdoors.” 

Zuko grimaces, “I was dancing?”

“Dancing? That’s the problem you have with that statement? She’s implying that-”

“I know but she always does. I never dance.”

“Hate to break it to you Sparky but yesterday, you did.” 

“You were pretty good at it too” Katara recalled, smiling teasingly

“Mum made me take lessons as a kid before Father took the throne and outlawed it. I was always embarrassed…”

“Well I think it’s sweet,” She kisses him on the cheek and Toph makes a barfing gesture and tells them to go to bed. 

Zuko looks at Katara and smirks. 

“She meant separate beds, Shu. Get your mind out of the gutter,”

He smiles, kissing her quickly on the lips and then sneaking off, with less finesse than usual, to the cabin he and his Uncle were staying in. 

No, of all the people in the world, Katara had never taken Zuko for a lively drunk. But she was glad that he was.

**Author's Note:**

> I decided that I'd post these One-Shots separately on here (They're also on FF.net with the collection I wrote - called "The Beauty of Imperfection"). I found the first prompt 'Secret Lovers' and what I ended up writing for it, pretty unremarkable and not really representative of the collection so I thought by posting them separately people will be able to better see the variety of genres (and writing improvements) that the collection covers. I'm still planning to complete all 31 prompts.


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